Pupils love their time at Licola Camp

NEARLY 80 pupils from Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads have returned from the trip of a lifetime following a five-day camp in East Gippsland aimed at self-development and skill learning.

Facilitated by the Lions Club of Ocean Grove Barwon Heads, 78 sponsored students – including six from Ocean Grove Primary School and Surfside Primary School – completed the annual Licola Camp.

The children participated in a range of activities, including the flying fox, the giant swing, raft building and climbing the daunting steep boulder wall.

Assisted by skilled and dedicated Licola staff and 20 volunteers, the children were encouraged to extend themselves in several activities, enabling other participants to support one another, an important aspect of team building.

Leo from Surfside Primary School thought the camp was “great fun because we also had free time to play mini golf and jump on the trampoline”.

Jake from Ocean Grove Primary said: “I made many new friends and liked the challenges of the boulder wall and the flying fox”.

Campers were placed in cottages, where the volunteers guided and supported them in living together and looking after each other.

Lions club member John Claringbold said it was a challenging five days for many children, and by the end of the week they had gained new skills and a greater understanding of themselves.

“The main benefits of the camp were for each child to gain more self-confidence and to get along with others.

“The first night of Licola presents many challenges to the children. They are in an isolated location, sharing spaces with others they don’t know.

“The noisy currawongs in the morning were replaced later in the day by the squawking white cockatoos in the afternoon.

“The sounds of the Australian bush were a novel experience for many children.”

The next Lions Licola camp is scheduled to take place in January 2024.

Local families as well as Bellarine Property, Barwon Heads Hotel, Barwon Heads Pharmacy and the Ocean Grove Chicken and Burger Bar have already committed funds to sponsor children for the next camp.

The all-inclusive cost per child is $500. If you would like to make a contribution, phone John Claringbold on 0425 750 387.